MEF Round 16 Awarded Grants – May, 2010

1. Mathusiasm.
This project will acknowledge the different learning styles, the learning rates, and the different levels of abstract thinking of the students through the use of learning centers. Using a variety of board games, wrap-ups, and manipulatives will enhance the understanding of the standards we are teaching.
MIS, Grade 5, 270 students, $2067.53, Tami Rudman.

2. How Many Ways Can You Make 24.
The game “24” is designed to help improve addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division skills. To win, be the first to combine all four numbers on each card to make 24. Students can use all four numbers on a card only once. The game increases mental math skills, as well as inquiry math skills. It is fun and competitive. I would like to have each second, third, and fourth grade classroom at Salk have a game to use in a variety of ways: whole class instruction, small group use, or individual practice.
Salk, Grades 2,3,4, 350 students, $423.78, Nancy Starkey.

3. Shake, Rattle, and Roll to Recycle the World.
I propose to create art out of found and recyclable materials in the beginning of the 2010-2011 school year. This plan will be used in my 7th grade art classes. We will work in teams to complete art projects and will conduct research on the internet and field trips to Chicago museums to find out how other artists have used recyclables.
Pierce, 7th Grade Art, 100 students, $500.00, Mary Ann Foster.

4. High School PBIS Reward Funds.
Behavior scripts are emphasized each week by the teachers in the classroom. Students receive recognition from their teachers each Wednesday if they are nominated, and ten of the nominated students are randomly chosen as winners who receive rewards. The rewards students can choose from are varied, but include office supplies, candy cookies, ice cream, coupons for free ID’s and lanyards, coupons for concessions at sporting events, and tickets to special events at the school. A teacher who is participating in the program will be selected each month to receive a $50 gift card. The purpose is to continue to recognize and reward the students who have a positive influence on our school environment and demonstrate the desired behaviors we are teaching students, and to acknowledge the teachers in our building who support this initiative.
High School, 9-12, 2000 students, 135 teachers, $1580.00, Jennifer Simon.

5. MHS Poetry Slam Team.
This project seeks to give a group of 30 or fewer high school students the opportunity to critically engage with the important issues they face from day to day, through competitive performance poetry, via Young Chicago Author’s Louder Than A Bomb competition. Every year youth poets from around the Midwest compete for a chance to appear in Louder Than A Bomb’s three-week competition of performance poetry, oral story-telling, and hip-hop spoken word in Chicago. Performance Poetry taps into hip-hop’s extremely relevant cultural milieu, but encourages them to seek and express deeper truths that the materialistic, garish, and often promiscuous messages found on radio. This poetry encourages students to dig deeper into their personal experiences and tackle the meaningful issues that they face.
High School, 9-12, 30 students, $500.00, Dave Hossler and Danny Lackey.

6. Diva’s Mentoring Group.
The purpose of this project is to promote self-worth, love, and respect within young girls. Girls will learn techniques that will help them understand their own self worth, respect, and love for themselves while learning various skills that will help them. Each girl will have a mentor for academics, social life, and personal growth. Activities will include Vision Poster creation, Service Learning Projects, Speakers, Field Trips (3), Fitness, Book discussion, Finance, Post Secondary Goals, and Appearance. Mentors will be chosen from staff.
Pierce, Grades 7 and 8, 40 students, $736.00, Danyelle Wells and Shawn Johnson.

7. Leveled Reading in the Elementary Schools.
We would once again like to propose that funding be provided to the elementary schools to allow continued implementation of the balanced literacy framework. We would be accountable to you to share what was purchased and how it is aligned with our literacy framework. Wood, Fieler, Salk, Iddings, Miller.
K-4, 2532 students, $7500.00, Kara Bonin, Mary Hoffman, Kathy Martin, Chris Foltz, Lisa Patrick.